Criminal Justice Schools in California

Submitted by Samuel Homes on Thursday, Dec 26th, 2013

California is home to more than 180 schools that offer varied justice programs; ranging from associate’s degree to PhD. Anyone wishing to pursue criminal justice may be able to choose a school of their desire from the various criminal justice schools endowed with trained professionals who aim to give the necessary training to their recipients. The opportunity is open for students from needy backgrounds, as there are scholarships available from organizations like American Criminal Justice Association and Santa Barbara’s Sheriff’s Association which also awards scholarships. In California, a criminal justice degree does not only open ways for further educational opportunities but also offer numerous career fields.

One who opts for a criminal justice degree may concentrate in the following areas; forensic sciences, police work, criminal law, courts and administration of justice. One may choose to major in this field if they are interested in studying law and social sciences. Crime affects literally every facet of the society, this has made criminal justice change with every societal advances. This is one of the educational fields that require a lot of expert research, leadership and advanced study. Individuals who wish to take the course have to be ready to face the challenges that come with it.

To qualify for a criminal justice degree, one has to undergo a well-rounded criminal justice curriculum that includes writing and statistics, research, corrections, constitutional law, criminal law and ethics. This is a requirement by schools which are supposed to offer practical courses as well as theory. California has broader social issues related to race, class and change which the state curriculum includes in the coursework. The coursework is therefore widened to cover scientific and technical areas such as forensic investigations and science. There are practical areas such as individual reform, sentencing and probation. One who wishes to pursue a four year course of study may have to acquaint themselves with history, literature, social sciences, statistical analysis and core of language.

California is a good place for anyone wishing to become a detective or corrections officer. It is one of the states ranked highly in payment for detectives, patrol officers and corrections officers. As much as there are budget constraints, California was able to pay detectives$95,000, corrections officers $67,000 and patrol officers $84,000 in 2012. This therefore makes criminal justice jobs one of the best paying in the state.

With technology improving each day, the private sectors are doing even better as they have instituted technologically advanced career areas. The cyber-security and high tech white collar crimes have raised the need for specialists to be trained in IT fields to deal with sophisticated criminals. But all in all, a California criminal justice curriculum is a foundation for a career in law. Some of the schools that offer criminal courses are the University of Phoenix, which is located in Woodlands Hill among other towns. The Everest College, too,is another institution that offers diploma and Bachelor’s Degree in criminal law. Kaplan College in Chula Vista has Arts in criminal law. Other colleges include Allan Hancock College, Alliant International University, and American River College among others.

For those wishing to earn a degree in the criminal justice field, you may want to do your research to find the schools that fits your needs, both academically and financially. You may also find the possibility of earning your degree online to be a great alternative.

Are you ready to pursue a career in criminal justice? Get information on schools in your area and online using our criminal justice degree finder at the top of this page. ↑